Only to Survive
by miseradreamer
Summary: There's nothing like a blizzard to bring secrets to the surface.


**A/N:** I felt like writing some pezberry fluff since all my pezberry fics seem to be pretty angsty or dark. Just taking a break from my other stories with this one-shot. Yes, this is complete. Hope you all enjoy!

As always please don't forget to Read and Review :D! I'm trying to do better at answering my reviews, or at least the ones that ask me questions, but please don't hesitate to review or leave me a message!

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><p>"We're missing the musical," Rachel mumbled gloomily, folding her arms tightly across her chest as she stared out into the white nothingness, outside her window.<p>

"You think this is what I wanted, Dwarf," Santana snapped, turning the keys in the ignition for the millionth time with no success, "This is like my worst nightmare. Stuck in a broken car, in the middle of nowhere, in a blizzard, with you. Why did I let Quinn talk me into driving you? You should be in her car."

"Her car was full," Rachel muttered quietly, leaning her head against the window and closing her eyes, "I'm sorry you're stuck with me."

"Yeah well, 'sorrys' aren't gonna get us anywhere," Santana grumbled back, but admittedly feeling a little guilty for the dejected look on Rachel's face.

"What are we going to do," Rachel whispered, opening her eyes but keeping them on the car's floor mat beneath her boots.

"Try your cellphone again," Santana said, picking up hers from the centre console and checking the signal, "I still don't have a signal."

Rachel pulled her bedazzled phone from her coat pocket and checked the screen.

"Oh," she said excitedly, shooting her head up from the window and sitting as straight as possible, "I have a bar!"

"Try Triple A," Santana said quickly, watching as Rachel was already dialling the numbers and holding the phone to her ear.

"It still won't go through," Rachel slumped, pressing the 'end' button on her phone.

"Maybe if you try it outside the car," Santana suggested, earning a wide eyed reaction from Rachel.

"But it's freezing outside," Rachel pouted, fearfully looking out into the snow storm raging outside the safety of Santana's car.

"Oh my god," Santana huffed, grabbing the phone from Rachel's hand and throwing her door open, "You're such a little baby. Once again Princess Rachel gets her wish and all her subjects bow down before her."

Without another word, Santana was outside the car and slamming the door shut behind her, while Rachel slumped even further down into her seat, miserably. Of all the people to be stuck with, it had to be Santana. She wasn't even confident that if they were forced to spend the night here, she would make it out alive. She didn't doubt that Santana would murder her and use her for food. She probably wouldn't even have the decency to kill her first, just start gnawing on her arm or her leg as soon as she fell asleep. Well, if that's what her plan was, Rachel was not giving in without a fight. No, she was definitely not getting any peaceful sleep tonight.

Suddenly the car door was flung open, startling Rachel from her cannibalistic fears and forcing a blood curdling scream from her throat.

"What is up with you, Psycho," Santana screamed back, tossing her phone at her, "Dios Mio, you could've destroyed my eardrums!"

"Well you shouldn't have startled me," Rachel fired back, still trying to peel herself off the passenger side door and calm her rapidly beating heart.

"I opened the door," Santana countered, still yelling, "What did you want me to do, knock first?"

"Did you make the call," Rachel asked finally, shutting her eyes as she took deep breaths to calm herself and subdue her anger.

"Yes, I made the call," Santana replied in a mocking voice, then sighed, "The storm is too bad, they can't send a truck out until it stops snowing and the guy said it's not suppose to let up until tomorrow morning."

"So we're stuck here," Rachel panicked, her voice shrill as her heart returned to its jackhammer pace.

Santana didn't respond as she blew into her hands in an attempt to warm them and her body began to shake all over.

"Are you alright," Rachel asked timidly, afraid that Santana was just going to snap at her again.

"C-c-c-cold," Santana stuttered as her teeth chattered, "I w-w-wish we could a-at least get the h-heat going."

Rachel was quiet for awhile as she tried to ponder over her next move, then with an over-dramatic sigh, she turned her body towards Santana and held out her hands.

"Give me your hands," Rachel demanded, rolling her eyes and waiting for Santana's next sarcastic remark.

"N-no way, M-Man-Hands," Santana argued, pulling even further away from her, even though they weren't even touching.

"Fine, then freeze," Rachel shrugged, sitting back in her chair. She turned her gaze back to the storm outside her window and watched as the snow piled higher and higher and briefly wondered if they were going to get buried alive inside the car. She didn't get to dwell on that horrific thought for long, because suddenly she felt a pair of ice cold hands, shakily slip between hers, folded in her lap. Rachel decided it would be best if she didn't make a big deal of Santana giving in to her and instead kept her eyes on the tanned hands as she covered them with her own and whispered, "You're like ice."

"It's r-really f-fricken cold out," she mumbled glumly, watching Rachel massage some of the warmth back into her hands.

"I told you to bring your heavy jacket," Rachel scolded softly, then mocked her, "But no, you weren't going to be outside for long and a jacket would just get in the way of your smokin' hot outfit."

"Really," Santana growled, "I've p-probably got h-hypothermia to m-make that s-stupid phone call that y-you wouldn't make with your h-heavy winter jacket on a-and you're really g-gonna make f-fun of me for n-not bringing my j-jacket now?"

"Sorry," Rachel sighed, absently lifting Santana's hands to her lips and blowing on them. Her body stiffened as soon as she realized what she had just done and Santana's body did the same. For awhile they sat there frozen in place as Rachel stared down at her lap nervously, waiting for Santana to make yet another jab at her, and Santana was too shocked by the intimate gesture to formulate a proper thought.

"I'm just trying to warm you up," Rachel whispered, after minutes had gone by where the only movement in the car was Santana's uncontrollable shaking.

"I know," Santana whispered back and the fact that there was no venom or ridiculing tone to her words, made Rachel chance a look up at her. They locked their eyes for a moment before Rachel offered her a gentle smile, to which Santana returned with one of her own, then Rachel shyly turned her attention back to the hands in her lap.

"Your hands don't feel as cold anymore," Rachel mused softly as she delicately pushed her thumbs across the backs of Santana's hands.

"No," Santana nodded, her eyes also focused on their joined hands, "W-wish the rest of m-me could warm up t-too."

"I have read that in situations such as this, in order to survive, people huddle together for warmth," Rachel offered, her cheeks reddening and she refused to take her eyes off their hands.

"Y-you wanna get n-naked, Berry," Santana joked quietly, forcing even more colour into Rachel's cheeks.

"I don't even know why I bother," Rachel huffed, pushing Santana's hands out of her lap and folding her arms tightly across her chest once again.

"Sorry," Santana sighed, resting her hand on Rachel's upper arm, "N-nervous habit."

"Huh," Rachel questioned, raising an eyebrow as she looked over at Santana.

"When I-I'm nervous my s-sarcasm comes out," Santana shrugs, sitting back in her seat and wrapping her arms around herself as she tried to get warm.

"What do you have to be nervous about," Rachel asked cautiously, turning towards Santana and eyeing her carefully.

"N-nothing," Santana said, rolling her eyes and attempting to end the conversation.

Rachel's eyes scanned Santana's shaking body then with a heavy sigh she said, "Would you like to get warm or not?"

Santana's eyes shifted away and Rachel could not understand why she was looking so nervous. Did she really disgust Santana so much that she wouldn't even accept an offer that could potentially save her life?

"If you get to the point where you are willing to accept my assistance, all you need to do is say so," Rachel said after a long silence, settling back into her seat.

"You always h-have t-to make everything s-so difficult," Santana grumbled as her body continued to shake.

"Please explain to me how I am making things difficult," Rachel protested, "I don't know what more I can do but offer my help and if you will not take it then that is your problem."

"F-fine," Santana groaned, throwing up her arms in surrender, "I g-give up, I-I want your h-help. Happy? Are you happy th-that I'm b-begging for your s-stupid help?"

Rachel watched as Santana's head fell back against the driver's side window and she closed her eyes miserably. She didn't realize that's how Santana saw it, that she was making her beg for her assistance, so taking pity on the trembling cheerleader beside her, she grabbed the taller girl's arm and pulled Santana against her. She felt her sigh contently and relax into Rachel's warm embrace as her head rested against her chest and Rachel began to furiously rub her hands up and down Santana's arms in an attempt to warm her.

As best as she tried to maneuver them around the shifter and centre console, Rachel could not seem to get them into a comfortable position, and finally sighed, "I think we would be more comfortable if we moved into the backseat."

Santana lifted her head, quirking an eyebrow and giving her a daring smile as she asked, "You w-want to move this to m-my backseat so we can be more c-comfortable?"

"I understand how that sounds, but I assure you my intentions are honourable," Rachel insisted, once again feeling the blush return to her cheeks.

After a long, hard stare, Santana finally shrugged, crawling between the front seats to the back as she said, "Fine."

Rachel followed behind her, stumbling as her foot got caught on the shifter and falling directly onto Santana's lap.

"Sorry," Rachel hissed shyly, her blush darkening even further when she realized she was actually sitting on Santana's lap, with her knees on either side of her. Her only consolation was that the frigid weather had forced her to put on a pair of jeans tonight instead of her usual short skirt. Santana's look of surprise caused her to glance away quickly, shifting her eyes everywhere except the tanned girl below her, "I should-"

She tried to move, lifting her butt off Santana's thighs and starting to pick up her knee, but Santana's firm grasp on her hips stilled her movements.

"No," Santana whispered gently, "Stay."

"Your shaking stopped," Rachel commented nervously, still keeping her eyes focused on everything but Santana as she sat back down in her lap and tried not to think about the fingers digging pleasantly into her hipbones just above the hem of her low rise jeans.

"You warmed me up," Santana whispered, massaging her thumbs into Rachel's hips.

"I didn't realize it would happen so fast," Rachel continued, her anxiousness driving her to babble, "If I had known I would've sat on you earlier. I mean- not that I purposely flung myself into your lap, it was completely unintentional, and-"

Santana chuckled as Rachel stumbled over her words, then reached a hand up, tangling it in Rachel's hair as she gripped the back of her head and gently pulled her down towards her.

"What are you doing," Rachel mumbled as her lips neared Santana's and her eyelids began to grow heavy, knowing what was to come.

"Staying warm," Santana whispered back, watching as Rachel's eyes slipped shut, "If we can't get the heater to work, I know a better way to create some."

She paused, giving Rachel the chance to change her mind, but when her eyes stayed shut and her tongue flicked out to moisten her lips, Santana took it as an admission for her to continue. With a little more pressure to the back of her head, Santana tugged her closer until the distance was closed between them and their lips met hastily together. Their lips locked, lightly exploring and tasting each other for the first time and as Santana felt shaky hands press against her shoulders, she moved hers inside the front of Rachel's coat, dragging her hands up and down her sides and feeling the soft material of her cream coloured turtleneck beneath her fingers. Santana could feel the heat radiating from beneath her fingertips and she craved it, sliding her hands to Rachel's back and pulling the small girl against her so she could feel that warmth envelop her entire body.

She ran her tongue across Rachel's bottom lip as they melded together, but instead of opening herself up to Santana, Rachel broke the kiss, just enough to whisper, "So this is purely for survival purposes."

"Of course," Santana whispered back, untucking Rachel's shirt from her jeans and slipping her hands underneath. Rachel moaned lightly as she began to massage the well toned muscles in her back, making their way higher with each movement and skimming over the clasp of her bra until they reached her shoulder blades. Santana slipped her hands beneath the straps of her bra as her fingers continued to work her muscles, earning another soft moan as Rachel's head sagged forward until her forehead was resting against Santana's.

A soft chuckle brought Santana's focus from Rachel's lips to her closed eyes as she whispered, "Not exactly the reaction I was going for."

"Sorry," Rachel smiled, opening her eyes but keeping them low, on a spot somewhere between their bodies, "I just- well it's silly really."

"You got my attention," Santana teased, the pressure of her fingers lightening, but still continuing her massage on Rachel's back.

"I always thought," Rachel said, pausing with a sigh before continuing, "I never imagined that you would indulge in any sort of foreplay with your partners. I sort of expected you to rip their clothes off and then- just- you know. I thought we would be naked by now."

"You think about us having sex," Santana questioned with amusement, dragging her fingernails harshly down Rachel's back.

Rachel's hands tightened on Santana's shoulders and gently bucked her hips as the sensation rippled through her body, "Of course not."

"Do you want to have sex right now," Santana asked, nervously, "With me?"

Rachel traced the line of Santana's red bra strap, made available by the black long sleeved top that began below her shoulders, finally meeting her gaze as she admitted quietly, "I would not be opposed."

"What if," Santana said, her eyes shifting as she anxiously posed her next question, "What if I wanted something else?"

"What kind of something else," Rachel asked, raising her head from Santana's so she had a better view of her eyes.

"You can't repeat this to anyone," Santana said sternly, her eyes narrowing at Rachel, "I will make it my life's mission to make yours a living hell if you ever even mention any part of it. I swear to god, Berry, you will wish you were dead."

"I promise," Rachel nodded, "I won't tell anyone."

"You feel really cold," Santana said, her answer creating a look of confusion on Rachel's face, "and you're going to be really cold all night."

"I don't understand," Rachel said slowly, shaking her head, "I'm not cold."

"You are," Santana told her, "and I'm afraid that you're going to freeze to death, only because everyone would hate me and blame me for your death if you did die. Not cause I actually give a crap about you. Get that straight, Berry. So we're going to lay down on this backseat and I'm going to put my arms around you to keep you warm, but it's only to survive. There's no other reason."

"You want to hold me all night," Rachel asked, eyes widening at the thought of Santana wanting to spend a night just spooning.

"I said it's for survival," Santana said raising her voice, "The last thing I need is your death on my conscience, Berry."

"I don't understand why you're forcing yourself to play this game," Rachel sighed, her warm hands cupping Santana's cheeks as she locked their eyes together, "There's only two of us in this car and I'm certainly not going to judge you for wanting to cuddle together during the night instead of having sex. In fact, I find the idea quite alluring and I'm very much enjoying this side of you that you refuse to let others see. However, I don't want to play this silly game and pretend that it's nothing, when clearly it means a lot to both of us."

"It does," Santana asked, her eyes softening as they filled with a hopeful tint, "It would mean a lot to you?"

"Yes," Rachel said, shyly, once again letting her gaze fall between them, "I think it would be quite special if we spent the night in each other's embrace. Much more remarkable than if we had sex, because I believe if we had intercourse you would attribute it to a one night stand. If we just sleep together, we both must admit that there are feelings there and not simply physical attraction."

Santana took a few minutes to digest that information, studying the girl in her lap and all her features that had a habit of making her act uncharacteristically. It was a hard thing to admit to herself that she liked Rachel Berry more than any other person she had ever known and that she had always liked her from the first day they had met. She may be somewhat peculiar, self-centred and not often on the superior side of fashion, but she easily made up for it all with her intelligence, brilliant talent, and outstanding beauty to just list off a few.

"Alright, Rachel," Santana said calmly, taking a hand from Rachel's back and tucking a lock of hair behind the smaller girl's ear, "No games. No games and no pretending. Tonight I want to just lay here with you without any pressure of sex and know what it's like to just sleep with you."

Rachel smiled, leaning down to capture Santana's lips in a blissful kiss, before sliding off of her lap and removing her coat. Santana laid down on the seat first, pressing the length of her back as tightly against the back of the seat as she could and giving Rachel just enough room to lay down on her side with her back against Santana's front. It wasn't exactly comfortable, in the small backseat, and they had to tangle their legs together so they could both fit them on it, but as Santana's arm wrapped around Rachel's slim waist, tucking her hand underneath Rachel's side, and she buried her nose in the scent of her long brown hair, it couldn't have been more perfect.

"Are you comfortable," Rachel asked in barely more than a whisper, covering Santana's arm around her waist with her own.

"Even if I wasn't," Santana said, taking a moment to pepper the strong line of Rachel's jaw with kisses, "I definitely wouldn't ever want to be anywhere else."

"I like this Santana so much more," Rachel smiled, stroking her fingers up and down Santana's arm.

"Sorry you had to miss that musical," Santana said, squeezing her arm tighter to emphasize her regret, "I know you were really looking forward to it. So annoying listening to you yammer on about it for the past month."

"West Side Story has been around since the fifties," Rachel said, snuggling back against Santana, "I will have many more opportunities to see it in the future. In a few years I will inevitably take my rightful place in the role of Maria on a Broadway stage and when the media interviews me I can recall the story of this night and say that if it wasn't for that musical, I wouldn't have had such a spectacular first night with my future wife."

"Hold up," Santana said, stiffening at her words, "Say what now?"

"Come on, Santana," Rachel said, turning her body enough so she could look into Santana's eyes with a longing gaze, "We're kidding ourselves to believe that I will not one day play such an iconic role that I was so obviously born to play."

"That's not what I'm talking about," Santana said, "I'm talkin' 'bout the future wife part."

"Oh _that_," Rachel teased, obviously goading her, "Relax Santana, I'm not picking out curtains for our nursery. I'm simply having a little fun with you. I don't actually expect to have any sort of relationship with you, or even for you to be nice to me come school on Monday. I'm sure tomorrow you will wake up, wonder what on earth propelled you to have such a tender moment with such a lowly person as I, then run back to your Cheerios clique, forgetting it all entirely."

"You're wrong," Santana hissed, her lips pressing to Rachel's ear as she spoke, "I don't know about that future wife stuff, but this isn't just a heat of the moment thing, Berry. Rachel. I kinda always had a bit of a thing for you, you and your stupid sweaters and obnoxious attitude and holier than thou view of the world. You wanna know a secret, Rachel?"

"Tell me," Rachel breathed, her hand tightening against Santana's wrist as she waited for the response.

"I never once hated you," Santana revealed, pausing to gently bite Rachel's earlobe, "The only thing I hated everyday was that I didn't have the balls to tell you how much I liked you. So future wife, yeah, maybe I can handle that. One day."

"Promise me something," Rachel asked, closing her eyes as she smiled contently.

"What's that, Berry," Santana said, unable to drop the nickname that she liked using and had always thought it to be more adoring than mean.

"Promise me that I'll wake up to this Santana in the morning," Rachel mumbled sleepily, already feeling herself begin to drift.

Santana smiled, closing her eyes as she nuzzled her nose into Rachel's hair, "Count on it, Berry."


End file.
